Bodysong postponed its presentation this season due to concerns over the coronavirus. In these extenuating circumstances, Vogue Runway has made an exception to its policy and is writing about this collection from photos.
The concept of protective gear has been top of mind lately for obvious reasons. Clothing as a shield against the world isn’t a new idea. Still, the execution has evolved, moving from literal reinterpretations of hazmat gear to volume as a distancing aid and layers of fabric that conceal the body. Recently, the creative team behind Bodysong has been interested in all three interpretations, creating pieces that can be piled artfully atop each other, rendering the wearer anonymous. There’s plenty of personality within Bodysong’s output, but the capacious color-block anoraks, patchwork jeans, and typography-laden shirts are also items you can disappear into, shedding the past to become part of the brand’s streetwear army.
Styled to the hilt with shirts used as turbans and jackets belted around waists to form makeshift bustles, the fall collection was a lot of look. Beneath the clash of prints and offbeat juxtapositions, many of the pieces served utilitarian purposes; cocoon-shaped jackets reminiscent of Balenciaga’s ubiquitous puffers provided insulation, multi-pocket anoraks ensured wearers will never be without their essentials, and knotted scarves guarded against the chill. Should one find themselves in a dystopian scenario, Bodysong’s wares would keep them safe, but the season was about more than practical concerns.
Joy came through via lively colors like periwinkle and tangerine and a spray of graffiti detailing that featured on multiple pieces. Cheeky socks with phrases like “business proposals” and sneakers covered in words like descent were equally playful. Recurring graphics, including The New York Times logo and the brand’s emblem, were worked together into prints that channeled Mel Bochner with their barrage of florid text. If one has to self-isolate and shield, he—or she—might as well do it in clothes that feel fun and bring a touch of absurdism to our grim new reality.
